Hiking trail Ödegårdsstigen 2.9 km
Tidaholm
Experience the beautiful landscape of Ekedalen with its stunning beech forest. Hiking trail covering 2.9 km in this beautiful landscape.
Quick facts
Length: The trail is 2.9 km in length and forms a circular loop.
Approximate time: It takes approximately 38 minutes to walk the trail.
Trail marking: The trail is marked with red markers, which are placed on posts and arrows.
Difficulty level: The trail is of medium difficulty, relatively easy to hike with a few short inclines.
Start and finish: Parking is available at the Gestilren Monument, which is also the starting and ending point of the circular trail.
Directions:
Tidaholm is located in Western Sweden, near Lake Vättern, approximately 160 km from Gothenburg. If you choose to travel by train, you can go to Falköping or Skövde and then take a bus to Tidaholm. If you're traveling by car, Tidaholm is about 58 km from Jönköping.
Ekedalen is located approximately 10 kilometers west of Tidaholm.
Hiking trail in a fairytale-like environment
Ödegårdsstigen is an approximately three-kilometers-long walking trail on the outskirts of Ekedalen, passing by the remains of a lime industry, the residential area built in connection with the industry, and a hardwood forest that was originally a tree plantation.
Varied nature and a lot of cultural history
Along the Ödegårdsstigen, which goes through the beech forest in Ekedalen Nature Reserve, you can see traces of the old lime industry and experience the unique light with a blend of colors from delicate greenery and fallen leaves. Information signs along the trail provide details about what you're passing. An information brochure with a map is available at the Tidaholm Tourist Office.
Hiking in a cultural-historical environment
A suitable place to start the hike is at the memorial stone for the Battle of Gestilren. From the elevated hill, the trail descends toward the Ödegården residential area, built in the early 1900s by the lime industry workers. The path then enters the tranquil hardwood forest in Ekedalen Nature Reserve. Here, beech trees coexist with larch, hornbeam, and sycamore maple. The forest was planted in the 1870s by Reinhold von Essen, who imported plants from Germany.
The trail continues past ancient remains and the remnants of the activities at the Ödegården lime quarry, which began in the mid-1800s and closed in 1927. The path leads through a remarkable landscape with remnants of lime kilns, slag heaps, locomotive sheds, and slate crushing areas. A railway embankment used to transport stone between the quarry and the kilns can also be discerned. Ödegårdsstigen also passes the signpost "Granne påle."
Sightseeing destinations
In Ekedalen, you can shop at your convenience at Greta's country store, which is unmanned, making it easy for you to shop whenever it suits you.
Near the Ödegårdsstigen, you'll also find Virvan Varv, a farm shop that offers its own vegetables, eggs, lamb skins, and more.
A little further away in Dimbo, you'll come across Dimboboa, another farm shop that sells local products and has a wide range of offerings.
Quick facts
Length: The trail is 2.9 km in length and forms a circular loop.
Approximate time: It takes approximately 38 minutes to walk the trail.
Trail marking: The trail is marked with red markers, which are placed on posts and arrows.
Difficulty level: The trail is of medium difficulty, relatively easy to hike with a few short inclines.
Start and finish: Parking is available at the Gestilren Monument, which is also the starting and ending point of the circular trail.
Directions:
Tidaholm is located in Western Sweden, near Lake Vättern, approximately 160 km from Gothenburg. If you choose to travel by train, you can go to Falköping or Skövde and then take a bus to Tidaholm. If you're traveling by car, Tidaholm is about 58 km from Jönköping.
Ekedalen is located approximately 10 kilometers west of Tidaholm.
